System of transportation



(No Model.) 3 sheets-sheet 1.'

B. S. HENNING. SYSTEM 0F TRANSPORTATION.

Nn. 408.711. Patented Aug. 13, 1889.

(No Model.) s sheets-sheet 2.

B. S. HENNING.'

SYSTEM 0T TRANSPORTATION.

I Patented Aug. 13, 1889.

(No Model.) s sheets-Sheen s. B. S.4 HBNNING. SYSTEM 0F TRANSPORTATION.

Patented Aug. 13, 1889.

X37 Mfg UNITED 'STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN S. I-IENNING, OF NEWY YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE IIENNING GRAVITY TUNNEL COMPANY, OF VEST VIRGINIA.

SYSTEM OF TRANSPORTATION.

- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 408,711', dated August 13, 1889.

' Application filed May l, 1888.. Serial No. 272,498. (No'moclel.)

To aZZ whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN S. I-IENNING, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city, county, and State of New York, 5 have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Systems of Transportation, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in a system of transportation and details thereof, fully set forth 1o hereinafter, whereby to effect the transfer of passengers and freight from point to point on surface roads or through tunnels more rapidly and at less expense and without other objections incident to ordinary systems of locomoi 5 tion.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a diagrammatic View illustrating my system as applied in connection withv stations upon the opposite sides of a river through the mezo dium of a tunnel extending beneath the riverbed. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line 2 2, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view illustrating the arrangement of the track and cable-motor, and the construction and connec- 2 5 tion of the cars. Fig. 4t is a detail plan showing the end connection of the cars. Fig. 5 is an enlarged view, in transverse section, illustrating the'track-rails and guard-rails, and the car-wheels, boxes, and hangers. Fig. 6 is an v 3o enlarged detail showing the construction of an automatic grip. Fig. 7 is a part sectional elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 6.

While my invention is applicable to tracks above ground and under ground, I shall first 3 5 refer to the same in connection with tunnels.

Where tunnels have heretofore been employed as conduits for railway-cars for the conveyance of passengers, merchandise, or

both, the cars have been driven continuously 4o through said tunnels by the means of suitable motors.' This mode of propulsion is attended with many objections. The first of such bj ections is the expense resulting from the use of a separate motor with each car or'train.

4 5 If a cable-motor should be used, which so far as I know has not heretofore been proposed in connection with a tunnel; the expense would still be great, involving the necessity,

in ordinary methods of applying such cables,

5o of extending the same the entire length of the tunnel. Another objection in the ordinary modes of propulsion in underground tunnels is the vitiating of the air inv the tunnel by smoke and gases from the motor-engines, which it is impossible to dispel where the tun- 5 5 nel is long and without intermediate outlets. Another objection is the limited speed at which it is possible to propel the cars through tunnels by ordinary propelling means, and the necessity of constructing long tunneled 6o approaches to avoid steep grades. Still another objection arises from the expense of constructing the tunnels themselves whenever the cars are propelled by means of engines, it being necessary to proportion the -strength of the bed structure to the weight of the heavy engines which must necessarily be employed, especially to haul the trains up the grades at the ends of the tunnel. In order to avoid these and other objections, 7o many of which are also incident to surface roads, I dispense with the use of a motor for actuating the cars, except as an auxiliary in propelling them at either terminus of the tunnel or track, and I so construct thev latter with an incline too great to be practically employed with ordinary modes of locomotion, and of such a character that the cars will acquirean initial impetus in passing the incline, sufficient to propel them along the level 8o portion of the track to the point where they are caused to engage with the auxiliary motor.

I will now refer to the diagrammatic views, Figs. l and 2, which illustrate simply the general features in connection with a tunnel A, extending beneath the bed B of a river.

The tunnel has one or two tracks, and each train will pass back and forth from end to end of the same track, and each end portion a of the track is at a much greater angle than 9o is usual in the case, especially with underground tunnels sinking below a normal level,

kand between th-e two inclined ends there is an intermediate level, as shown. Such angle may be between thirty and fort 7-iive degrees, 95 greater or less; the greater the angle the greater theinitial speed.

In connection with each terminus of the track I arrange a propelling-cable C, passing over suitable guide-pulleys and driven from roo an engine in an engine-house D at the mouth of the tunnel, and at least one car of each train is provided with a grip so arranged as to engage with the said cable, which is kept continuously running or is started in operation before an approaching train reaches it, so that the traveling car will engage with the moving cable and be brought under the control of the latter without any sudden shock or strains.

By this system of propulsion the tunnel is kept wholly free from deleterious gases or from the introduction of any matter that will vitiate the air. As heavy engines are not employed,the tunnel can be made at less expense than would be requisite for the support of ordinary motors. As the ears are propelled the greater portion of therdistance by gravity, the expense resulting from the use of ordinary motors is avoided. As the track may be inclined to a great angle without liability to in' jury to the cars or their occupants, a very high initial speed may be secured, thereby securing a much greater average speed than would be practicable by the elnployment of steam-engines or cable-motors' for propelling the cars the entire distance.

Inasmuch as the initial speed is very great, it is of course necessary to provide means to render the derailmcnt of the cars impossible and reduce to as great a degree as possible injuries liable to result from the breaking of the wheels or axles. To this end I arrange parallel to and within each rail B, Fig. 5, a guard-rail E, as close as practicable to the rail, and yet avoiding contact with the wheel F, which is provided with a flange c much deeper than usual.

The guard-rail E should extend to such a height as to be but a slight degree below the axle f, so as to tend to preserve the parts in their position should the axle break. The guard-rail E preferably consists of a metallic portion g, bolted to the ties adjacent to the rail B, and a wooden portion 7L, bolted to and extending above the portion g, as best shown in Fig. 5. To avoid any possible injury from breaking of an axle, each axle may be incased in a surrounding metal tube 25, as shown in Fig. 5.

inasmuch as the cars for a portion of the distance (hiring the time they are at the end or ends of the track are at a considerable angle to the horizontal portion of the track, it is necessary to provide a lateral bearing of suilieient strength for the boxes in which the journals of the axles turn. I therefore provide each ear with strong hangers II, each with a central slot e, within which the box I can play, and with. wide angular side webs it', which receive the thrust when the body of the car is upon the inclined portion of the track, as shown in Fig. Between the body of the car and the top of each box is interposed the spring-j, as usual, and the sides of each box I are ribbed or beveled, as shown in Fig. 5, to it corresponding grooves in the sides of the hanger, whereby the box is prevented from being thrust outward or inward without interfering with its sliding motion vertically.

The cable C passes around a driving-drum and over guide-pulleys and around a tightening-pulley, as is usual in the cables of inclined planes, and which need not be particularly described, and extends to such aY point that it-s inner end will be traversed by the car while the latter is still at a considerable speed, and the speed of the cable is maintained as nearly as possible approximating that at which the ear will travel when it reaches the cable, so as to facilitate the gripping of the latterby the grip J upon lthe car.

The grip J may be made to be operated by hand; but I prefer to make it automatic in its character, so as to seize the cable only in case the latter is traveling at a speed in excess of that of the car, thereby utilizing to as great an extent as possible the action of gravity in propelling the car. Such an automatic grip is shown in Figs. G and 7, in which yn n are two gripping-segments pivoted to boxes n a', sliding between guides a2 n2, and bearing against stiff springs aga, which tend to force the segments toward each other, stops n4 preventing their actual contact.

The normal position of the segments, which are arranged beneath the body of the car, is shown in Figs. G and '7, and when the car approaches the cable C, both traveling in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 6, the segments contacting with the cable will be swung back in the directions of their arrows until the speed of the car becomes less than that of the cable, when the latter, moving relatively between the segments, will cause them to swing in a direction the reverse of the arrows, and thereby bite upon the cable with such force as to connect the same with the ear.

lVhen it is necessary to disconnect the ear from the cable, this may bc done by sliding back one of the boxes or one of the segments. Thus the pivot p of one of the segments may be the eccentric portion of a rod p', extending through one of the boxes into the car, and provided with a hand-wheel p2, whereby it may be turned to vary the position of theA pivot and draw the segment away from the cable.

In consequence of the angle assumed by the cars on the inclines of the track it is requisite tov provide some means for maintaining the horizontal position of the seats occupied by travelers. The same will, however, form the subject-matter of another application.

In order to reduce the liability of derailment, as well as prevent oscillation of the cars when a train is employed, I connect the ends of the cars together positively, so as to form as nearly as practicable one continuous structure, while allowing for such play as may bc necessary in consequence of the angle the ears assume to each other in traveling from the IOO IIO

' level to the inclined portion of the track.

One such connection is shown in Figs. 3 and 4,'in which the bumper-rails 23 of the cars are rounded to conform to `circles at the centers of which are transverse pivots 24, each passing through the eye of a connecting-link 26. This permits the vtwo car-frames to assume different angles to each other, while always positive.

bearing one on the other and held in movable contact.

As the cars travel back and forth upon the same track, it is desirable, in order to expedite transportation, to empty and reiill the cars as speedily as possible. To this en d I provide each car with side openings, as before described, and these openings I close by means of sliding doors S S, said doors being suspended from a suitable rail 4 and being connected together by rods 2 3, so that when one is moved the' others will move with it, the doors being thereby all closed simultaneously. To facilitate the application of power to close the doors, I use two jointed levers 5 6, connected at one end to one of the doors and at the other end to the side of the carriage, with handles 9 l0 at the upper pivotal points, whereby the levers may be brought toward the straight line to close the doors, said levers when in line resting againsta stop 7, which prevents them from passing'beyond said line and locks the doors in place until the handle 10 is thrust upward to break the joint.

While for the purpose of illustrating my invention I have described certain details, it is not essential to embody it in the special forms and arrangements which I have speci- Vfled, and I therefore do not limit myself to such forms and arrangements, and no claim is herein made to the same, as theywill form the subject-matter of another application. For instance, instead of using a cable arranged between the rails of the track and below the car, as illustrated and described, the said cable may be arranged at the side of the tunnel to be engaged by a side grip upon the car, and it may be driven by an electric or other motor, and it may be used to start the cars from a level and to impart a greater impetus in starting than would result from gravity alone.

It will be evident that the system of transportation will be equally effective between elevated points above ground separated by intervening valleys or low lands.

I am aware that in different systems of transportation and propulsion it is common to combine level and inclined tracks with elevating-chains, dac., arranged to raise vehicles at the inclined portions of the tracks; but my invention is distinguished from all of these, by the fact that with each of two inclines at the opposite ends of a level track I use an independent elevating-cable traveling in an upward direction, and provide the cars with automatic gripping devices or clutches, which engage only with the upwardly-moving cable at the terminus of the route in the direction in which the car is traveling. Thus the cars, Fig. l, traveling from the right to the left on the same track will carry the gripping device along the first cable to the left, which is moving in a contrary direction to the car, without gripping the same; nor will they grip the second cable at the right, traveling in the same direction as the ear, until the speed of the car becomes less than that of the cable, when the engagement will be effected. I thus avoid the objections to the use of means for invariably gripping the cable when the car reaches a determined position on the line, regardless of the relative speed of the car and cable. On the reverse movement of the car the opposite grip engages with the other cable.

I claiml. The within-described system of transportation, comprising a single track inclined at both ends from an intermediate lower portion, two traveling cables moving upwardly -in opposite directions, each at one of the in-i clined ends of the track, and cars provided with cable-grips constructed to pass eaclrcable without engaging when the car is moving downward on either incline and to automatically engage the cable when the car is moving upward on either incline, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the track inclined at the ends and with the cables moving in opposite directions, of cars provided with grips, each constructed to grip automatically one only of the said cables, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribin g' witnesses.

ENJAMIN S. HENNING.

Witnesses:

CHAs. M. REYNOLDS, STEPHEN BURKE.

TOO 

